Knob with demountable core lock



Dec. 1, 19 36. G, VQlGHT 2,062,487

KNOB WITH DEMOUNTABLE CORE LOCK Filed Aug. 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 1, 1936.

H. G. VOIGHT KNOB WITH DEMOUNTABLE CORE LOCK Filed Aug. 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 1, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KNOB WITHDEMOUNTABLE CORE LOCK Application August 15, 1935, Serial No. 36,253

14 Claims.

This invention relates to looks, and more particularly to a door lock wherein the lock core may be removably and releasably retained within the lock case. The lock case in the embodiment l of my invention shown in the drawings is the usual door knob which, as is often the custom in connection with door looks at the present time, is adapted to contain the usual pin tumbler lock- M ing mechanism by which the lock or latch bolt may be actuated.

In connection with door locks, and particularly those used upon hotel or office doors, a great deal of inconvenience arises due to the fact that keys are lost or carried away and thus remain in or come into the hands of unauthorized persons. Ordinarily it is a matter of considerable trouble and expense to remove the lock' mechanism and either effect a key change therein or replace it with another look.

The present invention has for one of its ob jects the provision of a locking mechanism having a housing provided with means for releas-- ably engaging the case within which the locking mechanism is mounted, whereby this mechanism isretained in place during ordinary operations of the look, but which may be readily removed by a person with the proper key.

Another object of my invention is to provide a knob or look casing with a removable locking mechanism which may be removed by an authori'zed person who understands the mechanism by the same key as is employed to operate the lock or latch bolt.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a case for containing a locking mechanism, and means for releasably retaining the locking mechanism within the case of such a character that the retainingmeans may be readily disengaged without the use of any tools other than a key that fits the look.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a lock case designed to contain a pin tumbler lockcore, and the provision of interengaging means on the case and core to retain the latter in the case, such that while the retain- 55 embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the look as applied to the door;

Fig. 3' isa section through the-knob and looking mechanism on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; v

Fig. 5- is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the keybarrel in a different angular position;

Fig. 7'is a sectional view on line 1-1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8" is a longitudinal sectional view'through the door knob and lock taken at right angles to that shown in Fig. 3, and somewhat enlarged;

Fig. 9 is'an enlarged sectional view of the door knob. similar to that shown in Fig. 3, with the lock core removed;

Fig. 10 is a face view of the knob shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is asectional view of the lock core removed from the knob, the keyl'barrel' being shown in elevation; and

Fig. 12 is anend view of the lock core shown in Fig. 11. In order to illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention I have shown a portion of a door at IU, having'a lock'or latch mechanism generally designated by the numeral Il; secured thereto, the bolt thereof being shown at I! in Fig. 2. The lock is provided with the usual out-' side knob l3 and inside knob I I, the former of which may, as is more or less usual in looks of the present character, be rigidly secured in place so that the bolt I2 will be operated entirely through the pin tumbler lock mechanism, as will be presently described.

As shown in Fig. 3, the knob I3 is hollow, as is likewise the shank I5, which may be provided with an annular internal shoulder I6.

Within the knob is removably mounted the lock unit or core shown in Figs. 11 and 12; This unit is of the usual type of pin tumblerlocks, and comprises a housing having a cylindrical portion IT within which is rotatably mounted the key barrel I8; and which is provided with a socalled extension l9 within which the drivers of the pin tumblers are mounted according to the usual practice. A face plate 2|] is secured to the lock housing, and this face plate is designed to fit snugly within an opening 2| in the face of the knob when the core or looking unit is inserted therein.

The key barrel l8 may be retained within the housing l1 by means of an enlargement 22 on: the forward end of the barrel, anda collard-3 secured on the reduced rear end 24 of the key barrel and abutting the cylindrical portion l! of the housing. The collar 23 may be secured in place by means of a set screw 25, shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and is provided with a non-circular opening 26 to receive the operating spindle 2'! of the lock. It will be understood that this spindle is slidably received in the opening 26 so that the core when released, comprising the lock housing and key barrel, may be removed from the knob.

As shown in Fig. 8, the inner face of the knob cavity may be recessed as at 28 and 29, and ribs 30 and 3| on the lock housing I! may enter these recesses to retain the lock housing against rotation within the knob. The rib 3| is, as will be seen from Fig. 8, a continuation of the pin tumbler extension I 9. r

In order to retain the lock housing within the knob, which in this instance serves as the lock case, I have provided interengaging means between the housing and case which will be automatically engaged when the housing is inserted into the case by a longitudinal thrust, but which may be readily released by anyone having a key which will fit the pin tumbler lock without the necessity of use of any other tools. To efiect this result I secure to a side of the housing, as shown more especially in Figs. 3, 8,; and 11, a leaf spring or strap of resilient material 32, one end of which is rigidly secured to the lock housing by means of the screw 33. The free end of the spring 32 carries a projecting pin 34 which is designed to be received in an opening 35 in the wall of the knob shank. The lock housing is recessed or grooved as shown at 32* to permit the free end of the spring to be moved toward the axis of the housing or away from theknob shank to release the pin 34 from the opening of the shank when this is desired.

In order that this release may be efiected, a driver 36 is movably mounted within a recess 37 in the knob shank, this driver having reduced ends and an enlarged middle portionwhereby the outer end may be accessible for depression by the thumb nail of the operator, and whereby the inner end may enter the opening 35 in the knob shank to engage the pin 34 and drive this pin inwardly out of engagement with the opening 35.

The knob shank is provided externally with a groove or recess 40 within which the driver 36 lies, and the walls of this groove may be closed together slightly over the enlarged central portion of the driver 36, as shown at 4| in Fig. 9, to prevent this driver from dropping out of its seat in the knob. It will be seen, therefore, that the driver will always be retained in position, and will always be accessible for engagement by the thumb nail of the operator to retract the pin 34 and move it out of the opening 35.

As the lock housing I! is held rigidly within the knob, and as the spring member 32 to which the pin 34 is attached is secured to this housing, it will be understood that the latter lies at all times within the opening 35 when the lock housing is within the knob. It is necessary, therefore, to provide some means to prevent the retraction of the pin 34 by an unauthorized person, who otherwise could merely depress the driver 36 with his thumb nail and thus withdraw the lock housing from the case or knob. This result is efiected in the following manner. It will be seen that the shoulder 42 on the collar 23 stands opposite the pin 34, and that this shoulder is substantially equal in diameter to that of the cylindrical housing H of the key barrel. While, therefore, the free end of the spring 32 might otherwise be depressed within the recess or groove 32*, it is prevented from being so moved by the shoulder 42, except in one position of the key barrel to which the collar is secured by the screw 25. As shown in Figs. 3, 5, 6, and 8, this shoulder is provided with a recess 43 at one portion thereof, the recess being of suhicient width to receive the spring member 32. When the key barrel has been turned to such a position that this recess lies below the spring, the latter will no longer be restrained from being moved inwardly, and it may be so moved by the driver 36 and the pin 34 thereby released. from the opening 35.

It will be understood that in the usual locked position of the lock, that is, the position wherein the pin tumblers in the key barrel l8 are opposite the drivers in the extension l9 so that the key may be removed, the slot or groove 43 occupies a position remote from that of the spring 32, so that this spring cannot be depressed and the lock core withdrawn. Moreover, it will usually be'found advisable to provide for the movement of the key in one direction, say to the right, as shown inFig. 1,. to retract the latch mechanism, and to provide for movement of the key in the opposite direction, that is, to the left, as shown in Fig. 1, to bring the key barrel to aposition in which the lock housing may be removed from the knob.

The key barrel may be limited in its rotation by the provision of a slot 45 therein, as shown in Fig. 11, and the end of the screw 33 may project within this slot. The slot may, if desired, be of such a length and be so disposed that when the key is moved to the left from the position shown in Fig. 1 the motion will be checked at the position in which the groove 43 lies below the end of the spring 32, so that the position of the key barrel in which removal of the lock core is permitted is readily defined.

-It will be observed that the pin 34 and driver 36 have an operation similar to that of the usual pin tumblers, in'that one is a retaining pin and the other a driver, and a break is arranged between the two at a point on the inner surface of the knob. The portion of the knob shank within which is disposed the shoulder 42 of the collar 23 and the free end of the spring 32, may be provided with a beveled recess 46, as shown in Fig. 9, to automatically depress the pin 34 when the lock housing is inserted into the knob. When the pin 34 arrives at a position opposite the opening 35, it will, of course, automatically spring into this opening.

The operation of my device is as follows: When it is desired to insert the lock core within the knob, a key is inserted in the key plug and the latter turned to the left to bring the groove 43 opposite the pin 34' on the spring 32 secured to the lock housing. The lock core, consisting of the key barrel, the lock housing "and associated parts, and the face plate 2!], is then inserted into the knob in the position at which the ribs 35 and 3! align with the grooves or recesses 28 and 29. When the lock core is pushed into place the spring 32 will be cammed inwardly by the bottom of the groove 46, and will spring outwardly when it arrives opposite the opening 35, so that the pin 34 will be engaged with the wall of this opening and retain the lock core in place. It will be observed that the key barrel may now be rotated in its usual lock or latch operating movements= without having any effect upon the interengaging retaining meansholding the lock core in place, as the spring 32 is secured to the lock housing and not'to the key barrel. When it is desired to remove the lockcorefrom the knob, the key is turned-(t'othe left from the position shown in Fig. 1) to bringl the groove 43 below the end of the pin 34. The operator may then insert his thumb nail in the groove 40 where he can engage the end of the driver 36 and depress this driver. to a suflicient extent to bring the break between its inner end andthe outer end of the pin 34 opposite the inner surface of the'knob shank. The core may then be removediby alongitudinal pull upon the key.

While I have shown and: described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the I details shown, butis'capable of modification and member to permit withdrawal of the core from the knob.

2. In a mechanism of the class described, a door knob having a shank, a core insertable into and withdrawable from the face of the knob, said core comprising a housing and a key barrel rotatable therein, means for securing said housing against rotation relatively to the knob when in position therein, means carried by said housing to releasably engage the knob shank and retain the core in the knob, and means movably carried by the knob shank for effecting release of said engaging means to permit withdrawal of the core from the knob.

3. In a mechanism of the class described, a lock case, a core insertable into and withdrawable from the case, said core comprising a housing and a key barrel rotatable therein, means for securing said housing against rotation relatively to the case when in position therein, means carried by said housing to releasably engage the case and retain the core in the case, and means movably mounted in a wall of the case to effect disengagement of said engaging means therefrom.

4. A lock case and a. lock core insertable therein and withdrawable therefrom, said core comprising a housing and a key barrel rotatably mounted in the housing, said case being provided with an abutment, and a spring-pressed member carried by the housing adapted to automatically engage said abutment when the core is inserted in the case and retain it therein, and means carried by the case to depress said member against the action of its spring and release the core for withdrawal.

5. A lock case and a core removably mounted in the case and comprising a housing and a key barrel rotatably mounted in the housing, a two-part spring-pressed retaining member engaging said case and housing to retain the core within the case, and said member extending to the exterior of the case to be accessible for movement against the action of its spring to disengage the inner the core, and the'outer part of saidmember being movably mounted in the wall of the case. 7; A look case'and a c'ore'removably'mounted in the case and comprising a housing and a key barrel rotatably mounted in'- the housing, a 'twopart? spring-pressed retaining member engaging said case and housingto'retain the core within the case, said member being movable againstthe action- (if-its spring to disengage the inner part thereoffrom the case andpermit withdrawal of the core, and the outer part of said member being movably mounted in the wall of the case and extending to the exterior thereof to be accessible for manipulation.

8. A look case having a core insertable therein and withdrawable therefrom, said core including a housing non-rotatably mounted in the case when in position therein, and a key barrel rotatably mounted in the housing, a spring-pressed member carried by the housing and engageable in an opening in a wall of the case to secure the core therein, and a driver movably mounted in the opening in the housing and adapted to be depressed to move said pin to disengaging position to release the core for withdrawal from the case.

9. A look case having a core insertable therein and withdrawable therefrom, said core including a housing non-rotatably mounted in the case when in position therein, and a key barrel rotatably mounted in the housing, a spring-pressed member carried by the housing and engageable in an opening in a wall of the case to secure the core therein, and a driver movably mounted in the opening in the housing and adapted to be depressed to move said pin to disengaging position to release the core for withdrawal from the case, said driver being secured against removal from the wall of the case.

10. A look case having a core insertable therein and withdrawable therefrom, said core including a housing non-rotatably mounted in the case when in position therein, and a key barrel rotatably mounted in the housing, a spring-pressed member carried by the housing and engageable in an opening in a wall of the case to secure the core therein, and a driver movably mounted in the opening in the housing and adapted to be depressed to move said pin to disengaging position to release the core for withdrawal from the case,

said pin being restrained against movement to disengaging position until said key barrel has been moved to a predetermined position.

11. A lock case and a core insertable into and withdrawable from the case and comprising a housing and a rotatable key barrel, a springpressed member carried by the housing and releasably engaged with the case to retain the core therein, said member being depressible away from the case to disengaging position against the action of its spring, means rotatable with the key barrel for normally preventing a depressing movement of said engaging means, said preventing means being movable to inoperable position by rotation of the key barrel to permit movement of the retaining member to disengaging position whereby the core may be withdrawn from the case, and depressible means carried by a wall of the case to contact and depress said member.

12. A look comprising a case and a core removably mounted therein, said core comprising a housing and a key barrel rotatably mounted in the housing, a spring member secured at one end to the housing and being free for movement at its other end, a pin upon the free end of said member adapted to engage a part of the case to retain the core therein, and the free end of said spring being normally held against movement away from the case by a part of the key barrel, and said part having a recess therein to permit movement of the free end of the spring when the key barrel has been rotated to a predetermined position to release the pin from engagement with the case.

13. In a lock, the combination of a lock case, a lock housing non-rotatably but detachably connected to the case, a key plug rotatably mounted within said housing, and means carried by the housing and non-rotatably secured thereto to releasably engage'the case and retain the housing therein, said means being operable from the exterior of the case for movement to disengaging position only in a predetermined position of said key barrel and a depressible member carried by the case to engage and operate said means.

14. In a lock, the combination of a lock case, a lock housing non-rotatably but detachably connected to the case, a key plug rotatably mounted within said housing, means carried by the housing and non-rotatably secured thereto to releasably engage the case and retain the housing therein, said means being movable to disengaging position only in a predetermined position of said key plug, and a member movably mounted in the case and extending to the exterior thereof for moving said means to disengaging position.

HENRY G. VOIGHT. 

